Column: No suspense for Bonds, Clemens in HOF vote

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Barry Bonds can go for a bike ride. Roger Clemens might want to head to the gym for one of those famous workouts that used to make him pitch like he was 22 when he was 42.
If the polls are right — and my guess is they're pretty spot on — there's no need for either to wait by the phone Wednesday when baseball writers weigh in with their first verdict on what is arguably the greatest class of Hall of Fame candidates since Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth were among the inaugural inductees 77 years ago.
Bonds and Clemens won't get in, and no one else may either. In a fitting twist, the player who is most likely the leading candidate to make it is known almost as much for getting hit by pitches as hitting them himself.
Actually, Craig Biggio had 3,060 hits to go with the 285 times he got hit, and being a member of the 3,000-hit club usually guarantees a spot in Cooperstown. But in any other time the greatest home run hitter ever and only pitcher to win seven Cy Young awards would be absolute locks, too.
This, however, is as much a referendum on the Steroids Era as it is on the numbers that are so sacrosanct in baseball. This is about what people suspect players did while they were off the field, not what they accomplished while on it.
And this may be the last chance anyone has of somehow trying to make it right.
No, denying Bonds a spot in the Hall of Fame won't wipe away the bloated numbers that will almost surely scar the record books for generations to come. But it does put a giant asterisk that Bud Selig and the rest of baseball refuse to attach next to the 73 home runs he hit in one season, or the 762 he slugged through his career.
And while Clemens will keep his Cy Young awards, keeping him out of Cooperstown at least sends a message that maybe next time we won't be so easily hoodwinked again.
It shouldn't be the job of baseball writers to make the final statement about the Steroids Era; indeed some of the voters I know are quite uncomfortable with trying to sort out who did what and when. They're not the steroid police, as they often point out, and don't know any better than the guy next to them in the locker room who did what and when.
But Selig and his minions failed time and time again to confront the epidemic that swept through the game the last few decades. They used the power surge — four of the top 10 all-time home run hitters are either admitted steroid users or associated with them — to bring fans back to the ballparks who were disillusioned with baseball after a bitter strike wiped out the playoffs and the World Series in 1994.
They sat back and watched the cash registers heat up, knowing all along that much of it was built on a giant fraud. And they certainly didn't follow criteria that is spelled out for Hall of Fame voters, who are pledged to look at not only a player's numbers but the "integrity, sportsmanship, character and contributions to the team(s)" on which he played.
Under those guidelines, Bonds and Clemens don't qualify. Neither does Sammy Sosa, who thankfully will receive only a handful of votes in his first year of eligibility.
Unlike Sosa and Mark McGwire — who at least admitted he used steroids — the odds are that Bonds and Clemens will one day be enshrined in the hall. As the years go by and the stigma of the steroid era fades, they'll gain support among voters and probably make the 75 percent threshold required for admittance.
Unfortunately for some of those on the ballot with them, they may have to wait, too. That includes Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell, whose numbers have to be looked at twice not because they've been accused of wrongdoing but because they were put up in the heart of the Steroids Era.
That may not be fair to them, but the Hall of Fame is an exclusive place where fairness does not always carry the day. How else to explain why the late Roger Maris was never voted in, despite breaking Ruth's home run record with 61, a mark that stood for 37 years before McGwire and Sosa obliterated it in the home run orgy of 1998.
We may never know exactly what Bonds did to hit home runs unlike any human being before him. He's not talking, though a look at the newly svelte slugger today suggests that the change in his body size isn't completely due to his new love of cycling.
Don't expect Clemens to be any more forthcoming, either. Not after a jury in Washington, D.C., sided with him over accusations by former trainer Brian McNamee that he injected the pitcher with human growth hormone to salvage what was left of his good name.
They hurt baseball more than the banned and disgraced Pete Rose ever did by betting on games. Maybe, like Rose, they need some more time before explaining what really happened.
Meanwhile, they'll continue to keep us all hanging, including the sport and fans that made them rich.
Fortunately, baseball writers are in a position to return the favor.

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Soccer-41 players get life bans for South Korea match-fixing

Jan 9 (Reuters) - Forty one South Korean players have been handed worldwide lifetime bans following a match-fixing scandal in the country's K-League, world governing body FIFA said on Wednesday.
The 41, charged after a domestic match-fixing investigation dating back to 2011, received lifetime bans from all football activity by the K-League and the Korea Football Association's disciplinary committee with FIFA's Disciplinary Committee extended the sanctions to have worldwide effect.
South Korean sport has been marred by match-fixing allegations in professional soccer, volleyball and baseball, forcing the government to declare war on the issue.
In February soccer officials scrapped the K-League Cup competition as part of sweeping changes brought in to avoid a repeat of last year's match-fixing scandal.
Ten other players involved in match-fixing were given worldwide bans by FIFA in June while in March, South Korea's volleyball association banned 11 players for life in a bid to curb corruption in domestic sport. (Reporting by Martyn Herman)

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Judgment day for Bonds, Clemens, Sosa at Hall

NEW YORK (AP) — Judgment day has arrived for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa to find out their Hall of Fame fates.
With the cloud of steroids shrouding many candidacies, baseball writers may fail for only the second time in more than four decades to elect anyone to the Hall.
About 600 people are eligible to vote in the BBWAA election, all members of the organization for 10 consecutive years at any point. Results were to be announced at 2 p.m. EST Wednesday, with the focus on first-time eligibles that include Bonds, baseball's only seven-time Most Valuable Player, and Clemens, the only seven-time Cy Young Award winner.
Since 1965, the only years the writers didn't elect a candidate were when Yogi Berra topped the 1971 vote by appearing on 67 percent of the ballots cast and when Phil Niekro headed the 1996 ballot at 68 percent. Both were chosen the following years when they achieved the 75 percent necessary for election.
"It really would be a shame, especially since the other people going in this year are not among the living, which will make for a rather strange ceremony," said the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser, president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Three inductees were chosen last month by the 16-member panel considering individuals from the era before integration in 1946: Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, umpire Hank O'Day and barehanded catcher Deacon White. They will be enshrined during a ceremony at Cooperstown on July 28.
Also on the ballot for the first time are Sosa and Mike Piazza, power hitters whose statistics have been questioned because of the Steroids Era, and Craig Biggio, 20th on the career list with 3,060 hits — all for the Houston Astros. Curt Schilling, 11-2 with a 2.23 ERA in postseason play, is another ballot rookie.
The Hall was prepared to hold a news conference Thursday with any electees. Or to not have one.
Biggio wasn't sure whether the controversy over this year's ballot would keep all candidates out.
"All I know is that for this organization I did everything they ever asked me to do and I'm proud about it, so hopefully, the writers feel strongly, they liked what they saw, and we'll see what happens," Biggio said on Nov. 28, the day the ballot was announced.
Jane Forbes Clark, the Hall's chairman, said last year she was not troubled by voters weighing how to evaluate players in the era of performance-enhancing drugs.
"I think the museum is very comfortable with the decisions that the baseball writers make," she said. "And so it's not a bad debate by any means."
Bonds has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs and was convicted of one count of obstruction of justice for giving an evasive answer in 2003 to a grand jury investigating PEDs. Clemens was acquitted of perjury charges stemming from congressional testimony during which he denied using PEDs.
Sosa, who finished with 609 home runs, was among those who tested positive in MLB's 2003 anonymous survey, The New York Times reported in 2009. He told a congressional committee in 2005 that he never took illegal performance-enhancing drugs.
The BBWAA election rules say "voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played."
"Steroid or HGH use is cheating, plain and simple," ESPN.com's Wallace Matthews wrote. "And by definition, cheaters lack integrity, sportsmanship and character. Strike one, strike two, strike three."
Several holdovers from last year remain on the 37-player ballot, with top candidates including Jack Morris (67 percent), Jeff Bagwell (56 percent), Lee Smith (51 percent) and Tim Raines (49 percent).
When The Associated Press surveyed 112 eligible voters in late November, Bonds received 45 percent support among voters who expressed an opinion, Clemens 43 percent and Sosa 18 percent. The Baseball Think Factory website compiled votes by writers who made their opinions public and with 159 ballots had everyone falling short. Biggio was at 69 percent, followed by Morris (63), Bagwell (61), Raines (61), Piazza (60), Bonds (43) and Clemens (43).
Morris finished second last year when Barry Larkin was elected and is in his 14th and next-to-last year of eligibility. He could become the player with the highest-percentage of the vote who is not in the Hall, a mark currently held by Gil Hodges at 63 percent in 1983.
Several players who fell just short in the BBWAA balloting later were elected by either the Veterans Committee or Old-Timers' Committee: Nellie Fox (74.7 percent on the 1985 BBWAA ballot), Jim Bunning (74.2 percent in 1988), Orlando Cepeda (73.6 percent in 1994) and Frank Chance (72.5 percent in 1945).
Ace of three World Series winners, Morris finished with 254 victories and was the winningest pitcher of the 1980s. His 3.90 ERA, however, is higher than that of any Hall of Famer. Morris will be joined on next year's ballot by Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, both 300-game winners.
If no one is elected this year, there could be a logjam in 2014. Voters may select up to 10 players.
The only certainty is the Hall is pleased with the writers' process.
"While the BBWAA does the actual voting, it only does so at the request of the Hall of Fame," said the Los Angeles Times' Bill Shaikin, the organization's past president. "If the Hall of Fame is troubled, certainly the Hall could make alternate arrangements."

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Steelers Rainey arrested in Fla. on battery charge

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Pittsburgh Steeler rookie running back Chris Rainey has been arrested in Florida, accused of slapping his girlfriend.
Gainesville police officers charged Rainey Thursday morning with a single count of misdemeanor simple battery. He was taken to jail for booking.
Police say in a news release that Rainey was arguing with his girlfriend over his cellphone. His girlfriend got into a vehicle and the ex-Florida Gator tried to pull her out.
Witnesses told detectives that Rainey slapped his girlfriend of nine months across the face and then chased her when she ran away with his phone in her purse.
Rainey's agent, Joel Segal, didn't return a phone call for comment.
The 24-year-old fifth-round draft pick played in all 16 games for the Steelers, mostly returning kicks. He returned 39 kickoffs for 1,035 yards.

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NFL star Junior Seau suffered from brain disease

Junior Seau, one of the NFL's best and fiercest players for two decades, suffered from a degenerative brain disease often associated with repeated blows to the head when he committed suicide last May, the National Institutes of Health said in a study released Thursday.
The NIH, based in Bethesda, Md., said Seau's brain revealed abnormalities consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE. It said that the study included unidentified brains, one of which was Seau's, and that the findings on Seau were similar to autopsies of people "with exposure to repetitive head injuries."
Seau's family requested the analysis of his brain.
The 43-year-old star linebacker played for 20 NFL seasons with San Diego, Miami and New England before retiring in 2009. He died of a self-inflicted shotgun wound.
He joins a list of several dozen football players who were found to have CTE. Boston University's center for study of the disease reported last month that 34 former pro players and nine who played only college football suffered from CTE.
"I was not surprised after learning a little about CTE that he had it," Seau's 23-year-old son Tyler said. "He did play so many years at that level. I was more just kind of angry I didn't do something more and have the awareness to help him more, and now it is too late.
"I don't think any of us were aware of the side effects that could be going on with head trauma until he passed away. We didn't know his behavior was from head trauma."
That behavior, according to Tyler Seau and Junior's ex-wife Gina, included wild mood swings, irrationality, forgetfulness, insomnia and depression.
The NFL faces lawsuits by thousands of former players who say the league withheld information on the harmful effects of concussions. According to an AP review of 175 lawsuits, 3,818 players have sued. At least 26 Hall of Famer members are among the players who have done so.
Seau is not the first former NFL player who killed himself, then was found to have CTE. Dave Duerson and Ray Easterling are the others.
"He emotionally detached himself and would kind of 'go away' for a little bit," Tyler Seau said. "And then the depression and things like that. It started to progressively get worse."
He hid it well in public, they said. But not when he was with family or close friends.
Dr. Russell Lonser, who oversaw the study, said Seau's brain was "independently evaluated by multiple experts, in a blind fashion."
"We had the opportunity to get multiple experts involved in a way they wouldn't be able to directly identify his tissue even if they knew he was one of the individuals studied," he said.
The National Football League, in an email to the AP, said: "We appreciate the Seau family's cooperation with the National Institutes of Health. The finding underscores the recognized need for additional research to accelerate a fuller understanding of CTE.
"The NFL, both directly and in partnership with the NIH, Centers for Disease Control and other leading organizations, is committed to supporting a wide range of independent medical and scientific research that will both address CTE and promote the long-term health and safety of athletes at all levels."
NFL teams have given a $30 million research grant to the NIH.
Before shooting himself, Duerson, a former Chicago Bears defensive back, left a note asking that his brain be studied for signs of trauma. His family filed a wrongful-death suit against the NFL, claiming the league didn't do enough to prevent or treat the concussions that severely damaged his brain.
Easterling played safety for the Falcons in the 1970s. After his career, he suffered from dementia, depression and insomnia, according to his wife, Mary Ann. He committed suicide last April.
Mary Ann Easterling is among the plaintiffs who have sued the NFL.
"It was important to us to get to the bottom of this, the truth," Gina Seau said, "and now that it has been conclusively determined from every expert that he had obviously had it, CTE, we just hope it is taken more seriously.
"You can't deny it exists, and it is hard to deny there is a link between head trauma and CTE. There's such strong evidence correlating head trauma and collisions and CTE."
Tyler Seau played football through high school and for two years in college. He says he has no symptoms of brain trauma.
Gina Seau's son Jake, now a high school junior, played football for two seasons but has switched to lacrosse and has been recruited to play at Duke.
"Lacrosse is really his sport and what he is passionate about," she said. "He is a good football player and probably could continue. But especially now watching what his dad went through, he says, 'Why would I risk lacrosse for football?'
"I didn't have to have a discussion with him after we saw what Junior went through."
Her 12-year-old son, Hunter, has shown no interest in playing football.
"That's fine with me," she said.

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Researchers: NFL's Seau had from brain disease

When he ended his life last year by shooting himself in the chest, Junior Seau had a degenerative brain disease often linked with repeated blows to the head.
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health said Thursday the former NFL star's abnormalities are consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
The hard-hitting linebacker played for 20 NFL seasons with San Diego, Miami and New England before retiring in 2009. He died at age 43 of a self-inflicted gunshot in May, and his family requested the analysis of his brain.
"We saw changes in his behavior and things that didn't add up with him," his ex-wife, Gina, told The Associated Press. "But (CTE) was not something we considered or even were aware of. But pretty immediately (after the suicide) doctors were trying to get their hands on Junior's brain to examine it."
The NIH, based in Bethesda, Md., studied three unidentified brains, one of which was Seau's, and said the findings on Seau were similar to autopsies of people "with exposure to repetitive head injuries."
"It was important to us to get to the bottom of this, the truth," Gina Seau added, "and now that it has been conclusively determined from every expert that he had obviously had CTE, we just hope it is taken more seriously. You can't deny it exists, and it is hard to deny there is a link between head trauma and CTE. There's such strong evidence correlating head trauma and collisions and CTE."
In the final years of his life, Seau had wild behavioral swings, according to Gina and to 23-year-old son, Tyler, along with signs of irrationality, forgetfulness, insomnia and depression.
"He emotionally detached himself and would kind of 'go away' for a little bit," Tyler Seau said. "And then the depression and things like that. It started to progressively get worse."
He hid it well in public, they said, but not when he was with family or close friends.
Seau joins a list of several dozen football players who were found to have CTE. Boston University's center for study of the disease reported last month that 34 former pro players and nine who played only college football suffered from CTE.
The NFL faces lawsuits by thousands of former players who say the league withheld information on the harmful effects of concussions. According to an AP review of 175 lawsuits, 3,818 players have sued. At least 26 Hall of Famer members are among the players who have done so.
The National Football League, in an email to the AP, said: "We appreciate the Seau family's cooperation with the National Institutes of Health. The finding underscores the recognized need for additional research to accelerate a fuller understanding of CTE.
"The NFL, both directly and in partnership with the NIH, Centers for Disease Control and other leading organizations, is committed to supporting a wide range of independent medical and scientific research that will both address CTE and promote the long-term health and safety of athletes at all levels."
NFL teams have given a $30 million research grant to the NIH.
The players' union called the NIH report on Seau "tragic."
"The only way we can improve the safety of players, restore the confidence of our fans and secure the future of our game is to insist on the same quality of medical care, informed consent and ethical standards that we expect for ourselves and for our family members," the NFLPA said in a statement.
"This is why the players have asked for things like independent sideline concussion experts, the certification and credentialing of all professional football medical staff and a fairer workers compensation system in professional football," it said.
Seau is not the first former NFL player who killed himself and later was found to have had CTE. Dave Duerson and Ray Easterling are the others.
Before shooting himself, Duerson, a former Chicago Bears defensive back, left a note asking that his brain be studied for signs of trauma. His family filed a wrongful-death suit against the NFL, claiming the league didn't do enough to prevent or treat the concussions that severely damaged his brain.
Easterling played safety for the Falcons in the 1970s. After his career, he suffered from dementia, depression and insomnia, according to his wife, Mary Ann. He committed suicide last April.
Mary Ann Easterling is among the plaintiffs who have sued the NFL.
Tyler Seau played football through high school and for two years in college. He says he has no symptoms of brain trauma.
"I was not surprised after learning a little about CTE that he had it," Tyler said. "He did play so many years at that level. I was more just kind of angry I didn't do something more and have the awareness to help him more, and now it is too late."
Gina Seau's son Jake, now a high school junior, played football for two seasons but has switched to lacrosse and has been recruited to play at Duke.
"Lacrosse is really his sport and what he is passionate about," she said. "He is a good football player and probably could continue. But especially now watching what his dad went through, he says, 'Why would I risk lacrosse for football?'
"I didn't have to have a discussion with him after we saw what Junior went through."
Her 12-year-old son Hunter has shown no interest in playing football.
"That's fine with me," she said.

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Rex, Woody excited for Jets' new 'beginning'

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Rex Ryan and Woody Johnson met the media Tuesday, wearing Jets-green ties and presenting an unusually united front for a coach and owner coming off an abysmal season that produced far more in the way of turbulence than touchdowns.
The general manager is gone, along with the offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators.
Ryan isn't going anywhere because Johnson really likes him.
More than that, "I trust him," Johnson said.
"I think Rex is perfect for the New York Jets," he said. "He is 100 percent this team."
So, basking in that comfort zone, Ryan laid out his plans for the future of the 6-10 New York Jets, speaking mostly in generalities and giving few, if any, specifics about two guys named Sanchez and Tebow.
Ryan made big, bold pronouncements — the kind he made when he was hired four years ago:
— "We are going to be a dangerous football team. I can promise you that. I'm going to tell you, you're not going to want to play the Jets."
— "We're not going to be bullied. Fans don't like for their team to be embarrassed. We were embarrassed at times last year. That's not going to happen. We might not win every game, and no team does. But you've got to stand for something. We're going to be the team you don't want to play."
He managed to stop short of guaranteeing a Super Bowl trip.
Ryan told the packed press conference room at the training facility that, yes, he thought he might get fired after the season because he "failed" to leave his imprint on all aspects of the team, particularly on offense. That, and perhaps the fact the Jets haven't made the playoffs in two straight seasons.
"I don't think I've done as good a job of implementing who I am throughout this team," Ryan said. "I want a physical, aggressive, attack style."
To get it, he's wiping the slate clean, zoning out all the bad vibes tied to Mark Sanchez being an ineffective starting quarterback and leader, and Tim Tebow being his invisible backup.
"I'm approaching this day like it's the first day. Period," Ryan said. "Like my first day as a head coach. This is a new chance for me. This is a beginning, certainly not an end."
It was the end for general manager Mike Tannenbaum and offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, who were both fired, defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, whose contract was not renewed, and special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff, who retired.
Johnson said Ryan will have a say in hiring the new GM. San Francisco director of player personnel Tom Gamble has been considered by many to be the front-runner, but he has attracted interest from several teams. So has Atlanta director of player personnel David Caldwell, who was hired Tuesday by Jacksonville.
The team also met with Marc Ross, the Giants' director of college scouting, and in-house candidate Scott Cohen, the Jets' assistant GM. Johnson acknowledged that the team has told candidates they will have to be willing to work with Ryan, who brushed off any talk that he could be considered a lame-duck coach.
"I'm pretty sure I'll have the exact same agenda as the general manager," Ryan said. "We want to win."
Sparano was fired Tuesday after one season in which the offense ranked among the league's worst, and quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh is also out after four seasons.
"I have failed in that area," Ryan said.
Neither Sparano nor Cavanaugh could get Sanchez to make the next step in his development, and the quarterback actually regressed this season — culminating in the first benching of his career. Sanchez's 52 turnovers the last two seasons are the most in the NFL. Ryan and Johnson insisted money wouldn't factor into any decisions on personnel — despite the fact Sanchez is owed $8.25 million in guarantees and would cost the Jets a $17.1 million salary cap hit if they cut him.
"We'll play the player that fits what we do best," Ryan said, refusing to commit to Sanchez.
The Jets also couldn't figure out a way to effectively use Tebow, who failed to get into the end zone all season and stood mostly on the sideline, though he was supposed to be a major part of Sparano's offense. Tebow is expected to be traded or released — but personnel moves will largely depend on the next general manager.
"It is way too early to say what any of our players' futures are," Ryan said.
Ryan hinted that Pettine's replacement would come from within the franchise, likely secondary coach Dennis Thurman. Westhoff will be replaced by his assistant, Ben Kotwica.
Ryan's much-discussed tattoo of his wife wearing a Sanchez jersey — photographed while he was vacationing in the Bahamas — also came up. The coach laughed at the question, saying he's had it on his right arm for nearly three years.
"I know what you're thinking. Obviously, if Sanchez doesn't play better that number is changing," Ryan said with a laugh. "I've been married 25 years and, in my eyes, my wife is the most beautiful woman in the world.

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Jaguars hire Falcons' Caldwell as general manager

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars have hired Atlanta director of player personnel David Caldwell as general manager, charging him with turning around one of the league's worst teams.
His first move will be deciding the fate of coach Mike Mularkey.
Owner Shad Khan tabbed the 38-year-old Caldwell on Tuesday, a day after a third interview. FoxSports.com first reported that the Jaguars had reached an agreement with Caldwell. A formal new conference is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
"We got our man," Khan said in a statement. "I have a lot of faith in David Caldwell and I can assure our fans that the best days for the Jacksonville Jaguars are in front of us."
Added Caldwell, who chose the Jaguars over the New York Jets: "I am thrilled to accept the offer to become the next general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars. There are no bad GM opportunities in the NFL, but to work on behalf of a dynamic owner in a rabid football city like Jacksonville is truly special. This is where I wanted to be and I could not be happier. I can't wait to get to Jacksonville and get started."
Caldwell's first task will be to make a decision on Mularkey, who went 2-14 in his first season in Jacksonville and has lost 20 of his last 23 games as a head coach.
Khan gave Mularkey's assistants permission to search for other jobs last week, an indication that he doesn't expect to retain Mularkey or his staff.
Then again, Caldwell and Mularkey have a relationship stemming from their time in Atlanta.
Before becoming the Falcons' director of player personnel in 2012, Caldwell spent four seasons as Atlanta's director of college scouting — the same four years Mularkey served as offensive coordinator. Caldwell replaced Les Snead, who was hired as St. Louis' general manager last offseason.
"He's a great guy, a great family man, does a good job," Mularkey said of Caldwell last month. "He had some experience in Indy before he got to Atlanta, and I thought he did a good job up there. ... I thought that (he would become a GM) when I worked with him, that he was heading in that direction."
Caldwell was part of an Atlanta front office that drafted quarterback Matt Ryan, linebackers Curtis Lofton and Sean Witherspoon, offensive tackle Sam Baker, safety William Moore, receiver Julio Jones and running back Jacquizz Rodgers.
He doesn't inherit as much talent in Jacksonville, but the Jaguars have the No. 2 pick in April's draft and plenty of room under the salary cap to make moves. And coming off the worst season in franchise history, it won't take much to show improvement.
Khan fired general manager Gene Smith last week, parting ways with the guy who built a team that failed to make the playoffs the last four seasons.
Smith had been with the team since its inception in 1994, working his way up from regional scout to general manager. He had been GM since 2009, compiling a 22-42 record. Not one player he acquired made the Pro Bowl, though.
Smith changed the way Jacksonville approached personnel moves. He made character as important as ability, but it never paid off the way he envisioned.
Finding talent was the main issue.
Smith whiffed on offensive tackle Eben Britton (39th overall pick in 2009), defensive tackle Tyson Alualu (10th pick in 2010) and quarterback Blaine Gabbert (10th pick in 2011). Smith traded up to select Gabbert even though several teams with quarterback needs passed on the former Missouri starter.
Smith's most controversial act came in April, when he chose punter Bryan Anger in the third round (70th pick). Anger was terrific as a rookie, but adding him never seemed like the best call for a team that needed talent and depth at so many other positions.
Smith did hit on some players, including left tackle Eugene Monroe (eighth pick in 2009), cornerback Derek Cox (73rd pick in 2009) and receivers Cecil Shorts (114th pick in 2011) and Justin Blackmon (fifth pick in 2012). But none of those starters has become a star. And Smith gave up a second-round pick to get Cox and a fourth-rounder to trade up and get Blackmon.
Caldwell will need to do better to help get the Jaguars back in the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

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Source: RG3 to have surgery on torn knee ligament

WASHINGTON (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says Robert Griffin III will have surgery Wednesday to repair a torn ligament in his right knee.
The person said Griffin has a torn lateral collateral ligament and that the surgery will also determine whether he also has damaged the ACL.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Redskins have not announced the latest details of Griffin's injury.
Baylor coach Art Briles confirmed the same details in an interview with USA Today.
A torn LCL would require a rehabilitation period of several months, possibly extending into training camp and the start of next season. A torn ACL is a more severe injury, typically requiring nine to 12 months of recovery.
Griffin reinjured the knee in Sunday's playoff loss to Seattle.

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Gunmen kill six in northeast Nigeria church attack

Gunmen killed six people at a church in northeast Nigeria early on Tuesday, the third year running that Christmas services have come under deadly attack in the country, the military said.
The strike took place after a Christmas Eve midnight service outside the town of Potiskum in northeastern Yobe state, where Islamist sect Boko Haram has carried out several attacks this year.
"Unknown gunmen attempted to attack Potiskum but were repelled by the troops. While they were fleeing, they attacked a church in a village known as Jiri," said military spokesman Eli Lazarus, who confirmed that six people were killed.
Members of Boko Haram have killed hundreds in a campaign to impose sharia law in northern Nigeria.
The group killed dozens in a series of bombings across northern Nigeria on churches on Christmas Day last year, mirroring similar attacks in 2010 which killed more than 40.
This year the police and army pledged to protect churches, boosting security in major northern towns and cities and restricting people's movement.
At least 2,800 people have died in fighting in the largely Muslim north since Boko Haram launched an uprising against the government in 2009, watchdog Human Rights Watch says.
Potiskum, which lies in Boko Haram's northeastern stronghold, has been one of the areas worst affected by the insurgency.
Security experts believe Boko Haram is targeting worshippers to spark a religious conflict in a country of 160 million people split roughly equally between Christians and Muslims.
Many churches in Nigeria's biggest northern city, Kano, and elsewhere in the north were almost empty for Christmas Day services on Tuesday, local residents said.
Two people were killed in separate attacks on Tuesday in Kano, a police source said. He said gunmen riding motorcycles killed the driver of a government worker and another civilian.
Pope Benedict used part of his Christmas message to the world on Tuesday to highlight the need for reconciliation in Nigeria, saying "savage acts of terrorism continue to reap victims, particularly among Christians".

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Egypt constitution approved with 63.8 percent: election committee

Egypt's new constitution, drafted by Islamist supporters of President Mohamed Mursi, has been approved by 63.8 percent of voters in a two-round referendum, the supreme election committee said on Tuesday.
The result, which followed votes held on December 15 and on December 22, matched an earlier unofficial tally given by Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood.
"We have seriously investigated all the complaints," judge Samir Abu el-Matti of the Supreme Election Committee told a news conference. The final official turnout was 32.9 percent.

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Affleck Won't Be Running for Senate

Those hoping the United States Senate may get a little less gray and a bit more celebrity-studded won't be getting their Christmas miracle today.
Despite speculation, Ben Affleck announced late Monday he would not go after John Kerry's Senate seat in his native Massachusetts if the senator is confirmed as secretary of state.
The actor, who has been an increasingly popular presence in the political world recently, wrote on his Facebook page: "I love Massachusetts and our political process, but I am not running for office."
Chatter around a possible run went into overdrive Sunday when during an appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation" the Cambridge native decidedly did not rule it out saying, "One never knows. I'm not one to get into conjecture."
In the post he mentions his charity work in the Congo, something he discussed on ABC's This Week as well as testifying before Congress, as one of the reasons he's not interested in entering Bay State politics.
"Right now it's a privilege to spend my time working with Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI), supporting our veterans, drawing attention to the great many who go hungry in the U.S. everyday and using filmmaking to entertain and foster discussion about issues like our relationship to Iran," Affleck said.
The movie star added his praise of Kerry, writing: "We are about to get a great Secretary of State."
"There are some phenomenal candidates in Massachusetts for his Senate seat. I look forward to an amazing campaign," Affleck added.
As for some of those candidates on the list, Gov. Deval Patrick is likely to appoint a replacement to fill Kerry's seat in the interim period. Former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis, as well as Vicki Kennedy, the widow of Ted Kennedy, are on Patrick's list, according to reports.
Scott Brown, who lost to Elizabeth Warren in November, is widely believed to be the likely Republican nominee and is viewed as a strong contender. On the Democratic side there are several names often mentioned currently in the U.S. House of Representatives: Edward Markey, Michael Capuano, and Stephen Lynch. Other possibilities include Martha Coakley, the state attorney general who originally lost to Brown in the 2010 special election held after Kennedy's death, which Brown won.

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First Lady Tracks Santa From Hawaii

While President Obama spent his Christmas Eve afternoon golfing with friends, the first lady was hard at work helping children from across the country track Santa's every move.
Mrs. Obama took roughly 30 minutes out of her Hawaiian family vacation to answer calls from children asking where Santa was located as part of the annual NORAD Tracks Santa program run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, according to a White House official.
"Have you been a good boy this year?" Mrs. Obama asked Fischer from North Carolina.
"Yes, ma'am" responded the polite 5-year-old, who asked Santa to bring him a four-wheeler this year. Klye from Winona, N. J., wanted to know what the first lady's favorite present was when she was a young girl.
"When I was little. I loved Barbie dolls. I was a big Barbie doll kid, and every Christmas I got a new Barbie. One year I got the Barbie townhouse and the camper. It was very exciting," Mrs. Obama said. The first lady helped children track Santa and his sleigh as he delivered toys to little girls and boys in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
"He's moving pretty fast. That's pretty exciting, isn't it?" she asked the Schaack children from Rocklin, Calif.
"He's going like 100 miles an hour!" one of the boys replied. "You guys go to sleep soon now so that he'll come to your house, all right?" the first lady cautioned.
The Obamas spending Christmas at their vacation home along the shores of Kailua, a quiet beach town on the east end of Oahu.

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U.S. urges Egyptians to bridge divisions after constitutional vote

The United States on Tuesday urged all sides in Egypt to increase political engagement after Egyptian officials announced that voters had overwhelmingly approved a new constitution drafted by President Mohamed Mursi's Islamist allies.
"President Mursi, as the democratically elected leader of Egypt, has a special responsibility to move forward in a way that recognizes the urgent need to bridge divisions," State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said in a statement, noting that many Egyptians had voiced "significant concerns" over the constitutional process.
"We hope those Egyptians disappointed by the result will seek more and deeper engagement. We look to those who welcome the result to engage in good faith. And we hope all sides will re-commit themselves to condemn and prevent violence," Ventrell said. (Reporting By Andrew Quinn; Editing

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Giants, Ravens feel the urgency of Sunday's showdown

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Reuters) - The New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens, both coming off one-sided losses, are looking forward to Sunday's playoff-caliber showdown with a sense of urgency running through both teams.
The Super Bowl champion Giants need to win their last two games, including a regular season finale against Philadelphia, to ensure a place in the playoffs, while the Ravens, on a three-game losing skid, can win the AFC North title with a victory.
"We have the two-game schedule and we have to win both games to get in the playoffs and everybody's aware of that," New York coach Tom Coughlin told reporters before Wednesday's practice.
The Giants (8-6) are tied for the NFC East lead with the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys, but would come up on the losing end of tiebreakers with both teams.
Since Washington and Dallas meet in their final game, two wins would guarantee the Giants a wildcard berth.
The Ravens (9-5) were beaten 34-17 at home last week by Denver, but clinched a playoff berth nonetheless for a fifth successive season. Coach John Harbaugh said it is essential the team got get on track.
"We understand what's at stake," Harbaugh told reporters in a conference call to the Giants' practice facility. "The guys are excited to play. We have plenty to play for. We‘re trying to play for a division championship.
"You do want to build momentum and you want to be your best at the end of the year. You want to build toward that and peak at the right time, and that's what we're really hoping to do."
Coughlin said his team had been plagued by inconsistency and that quarterback Eli Manning was the man to lead them out of the trend after the team was shut out 34-0 last week by Atlanta.
"It's our whole football team," Coughlin said, not laying the blame on any particular phase of the game.
"Hopefully, because of the position that Eli is in, he's going to lead us out of the inconsistencies," Coughlin said about a team that scored 50 points in beating New Orleans two weeks ago before being blanked by the Falcons.
The Giants hope history can repeat itself.
Last season, the up-and-down New Yorkers put it all together at the end of the season, winning their last two games to reach the postseason and sweeping four playoff games culminating in a Super Bowl triumph over the New England Patriots.
"The reality of it is we haven't been able to play to substantiate what I would say is the personality of this team," Coughlin said about the 2012 edition of the club.
"So I'm definitely counting on the veterans to go ahead and prove this and do it with consistency. Last year we did it over a six-game run, and we're in that situation again."
Ravens running back Ray Rice said he expected a high intensity showdown game against the Giants.
"They have a lot at stake and we got a lot at stake," said Rice. "We're trying to clinch the AFC North and I think they are in a three-way tie. There's going to be a playoff atmosphere on Sunday."

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Cruz: Meeting Pinto family was "toughest by far"

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — For much of his hour-long visit with the family of a 6-year-old boy killed in the Connecticut school shootings, Victor Cruz talked about football, life and young Jack, the child who idolized him.
Tears were shed. Feelings were shared. Cleats and gloves worn by Cruz to honor Jack Pinto at Sunday's game against Atlanta were given to his family.
The New York Giants wide receiver somberly recounted Wednesday his meeting with Pinto's parents and brother in Newtown, Conn.
He struggled in his retelling only when asked about the family's decision to bury the child in the receiver's No. 80 Giants jersey. The father of an infant girl, Cruz stopped for a moment, and his eyes became watery.
"You never go through some circumstances like this and circumstances where a kid faces or a family faces something of this magnitude at their school," Cruz said. "This definitely was the toughest by far."
Jack Pinto was buried on Monday and Cruz telephoned the family to ask whether he could visit them Tuesday.
The family disclosed after Friday's massacre that Cruz was Jack's favorite player. The boy was one of 20 first-graders and six adults killed in the shootings at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Cruz drove to Newtown with his girlfriend, Elaina Watley, and their daughter, Kennedy.
"I had no expectations. I was a little nervous," Cruz said. "I just didn't know how I was going to be received. You never know when they are going through something like that. You never know how it is going to go down."
Seeing the family outside the home along with some local children made Cruz feel better.
"They were still pretty emotional, crying and stuff like that," Cruz said. "I saw how affected they were by just my presence alone. I got out and gave them the cleats and the gloves and they appreciated it. The older brother (Ben) was still emotional, so I gave them to him."
Cruz had written "Jack Pinto, My Hero" and "R.I.P. Jack Pinto" on his cleats before the Giants' loss to the Falcons Sunday in Atlanta.
The 26-year-old player best known for his salsa dances after touchdowns, signed autographs for the children before heading inside.
"I didn't want to go in there and make a speech," Cruz said. "I just wanted to go and spend some time with them and be someone they could talk to, and be someone they can vent to, talk about how much of a fans they are of the team, or different times they watched the Super Bowl."
Cruz spent that part of the visit sitting in the chair where Jack's father, Dean, sat when he watched the Giants' Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots in February.
It was a day Jack got to see his favorite team win a championship.
"It was just an emotional time," Cruz said. "I spent a little bit of time with them. We got to smile a little bit, which was good for them. It was a time where I just wanted to be a positive voice, a positive light in the tunnel where it can really be negative, so it was a good time. They are a great family and they're really united at this time and it was good to see."
Cruz said it was strange thinking about a child being buried in his jersey. He did not know how to react. Should he thank the family?
"It leaves you kind of blank," Cruz said. "I am definitely honored by it. I am definitely humbled by it, and it's definitely an unfortunate but humbling experience for me."
The visit also gave Cruz time to reflect, especially looking at his daughter.
"Ever since it happened I've kind of been spending more time with her, just cherishing the little moments, the little time you get with her because you never know when that can be taken from you," he said.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he was incredibly proud of Cruz for visiting with the Pinto family.
"Hopefully some of their grief might at least temporarily be suspended in being able to embrace Victor Cruz," Coughlin said, adding what he did speaking volumes of what he has inside.
Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice said what Cruz did took heart.
"You've got to be able to put yourself in that family's situation to understand at least what they're going through," Rice said in a conference call with the New York media about Sunday's game against the Giants. "That's what it's about. That's something that you don't just say, 'I'm going to do it.' You do it from the heart, from within and what he did was amazing."

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Heisman winner Manziel glad to get back in huddle

Johnny Manziel is ready to get back to being Johnny Football.
After not talking to the media all season until Nov. 26, two days after the regular season finale, the Texas A&M quarterback has been from Florida to New York to Hollywood. Along the way, he won the Heisman Trophy and a host of other major awards.
Manziel is back on the College Station campus after a "Tonight Show" appearance this week, when he presented actress Megan Fox with a No. 12 Texas A&M baby jersey for her newborn son. Manziel did a Top 10 list for David Letterman last week, along with plenty of other media appearances as the Heisman winner.
"He got back in here the other day, he just said, 'Hey, coach, I'm ready to play some football.' He's through with all that," Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin said Wednesday.
"He can get back to just being with his teammates and practicing," the coach said during a conference call featuring the Cotton Bowl coaches. "Just talking with him yesterday, he looks excited to just be off the circuit, be back in the huddle calling plays."
No. 10 Texas A&M (10-2) plays 12th-ranked Oklahoma (10-2) at Cowboys Stadium on Jan. 4. While Manziel will be the eighth Heisman winner to play in the Cotton Bowl, he is the first since Texas running back Ricky Williams 14 years ago.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said preparing to face Manziel presents unique challenges.
"Unique in that he's the leading rusher. It makes it really difficult. He throws the ball so well, throws it so well on the run," Stoops said. "But he's one of those guys, maybe sometimes the worst thing you can do is cover everybody because there he goes. He just has a great knack, an instinct for avoiding pressure and creating plays."
Manziel had 4,600 yards of total offense in 12 games to break the SEC record set two years earlier by Heisman winner Cam Newton, who needed 14 games to gain 4,327 yards. Manziel became the first freshman, first player in the SEC and the fifth player overall with 3,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in the same season.
Along with the Heisman Trophy, Manziel was named The Associated Press Player of the Year, the SEC's top player and the winner of the Davey O'Brien Award that goes to the nation's top quarterback.
All of this for a kid who just turned 20 years old two weeks ago.
Sumlin said he has had a conversation with his young quarterback about handling things moving forward, and the fact that he's just getting started.
"People are asking, What are you going to do now? With success, there comes other things," Sumlin said. "I think we've got a lot of the things in place here to help him, which really helped him through the process originally, and we've got a lot of things in place that are going to continue to help him handle a lot of these things. ... I think you can see he's pretty mature for a 20 year old."
Without being specific, Sumlin said the Aggies would help Manziel through that process.
"But, like I said, shoot, he's happy to be back here in the building," Sumlin said. "Sitting in meetings, watching video."
Notes: With Aggies offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury gone to become Texas Tech's head coach, Sumlin said running backs coach Clarence McKinney will call plays in the Cotton Bowl. ... Before becoming Houston's head coach in 2008, and going to A&M after last season, Sumlin was an Oklahoma assistant for Stoops from 2003-07. Before that he was offensive coordinator at Texas A&M for a win over Oklahoma. "I had great respect for Kevin before he was the O-coordinator there when they beat us," Stoops said. "Heck, Kevin and I used to run around South Florida together recruiting when he was at Purdue, I was at K-State. We were chasing the same kids all the time."

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Andersen changes directions, heads to Wisconsin

Gary Andersen publicly pledged his allegiance to Utah State not long ago. Now he's on the verge of becoming Wisconsin's coach.
Wisconsin reportedly will hire Andersen to replace Bret Bielema, who left the Badgers earlier this month to take the Arkansas job.
The news about Andersen broke Tuesday night and neither Utah State nor Wisconsin had anything official to announce about Andersen on Wednesday. The delay is at least in part tied to laws in Wisconsin that require a state job to be posted for at least two weeks before it can be filled. The two-week posting was up at the end of business on Wednesday.
The school was expected to introduce Andersen at a news conference Thursday, but a snowstorm might change those plans.
The 48-year-old Andersen just completed his fourth and best season at Utah State. The 18th-ranked Aggies finished 11-2 with a bowl victory against Toledo and won the Western Athletic Conference.
It's been a remarkable rise for a program that had been near the bottom of major college football for years, and stuck in distant third in its own state behind BYU and Utah. The Aggies won nine games in the previous four seasons before Andersen took over. The last football coach to finish his tenure in Logan, Utah, with a winning record was Phil Krueger who went 21-12 from 1973-75.
Andersen drew interest from California, Colorado and Kentucky last month, but decided to pass on those opportunities and received a contract extension from Utah State.
"The interest I have received is a compliment to the quality young men in this program," Andersen said in the statement released Nov. 30. "I love Cache Valley, this university and these young men, and I am humbled and excited to continue to be the coach here. The leadership of President (Stan) Albrecht and Mr. Barnes, as well as the support from the fans and community, are big reasons why this is the right place for myself and my family at this time."
That was before Wisconsin had an opening. Bielema announced he was leaving on Dec. 4, three days after the Badgers won their third straight Big Ten title and trip to the Rose Bowl.
As late as last week, before Utah State played in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Andersen was saying he was committed to the Aggies.
"I love the kids I get to coach here. ... The kids I have in the program, it just was not time. I look them in the eye and I need to be where I'm at," he told the Idaho Statesman newspaper.
When Wisconsin called, Andersen changed his mind.
It's a tough spot in which many coaches find themselves. It's imperative for recruiting purposes to show unwavering commitment to your current school. But when a coach does jump to another job, he looks like a liar.
"If you can, it's good to not say anything," former Arkansas and Mississippi coach Houston Nutt said. "It's almost now impossible because there's so much information out there."
Washington State coach Mike Leach said he felt his only obligation was to his employer and his team.
"I think you handle it honestly with the people you work for, but by the same token you don't let the media or public into your personal business," he said.
Apparently, many in Utah were caught off guard by the Andersen-to-Wisconsin news.
"I can't believe this..." Utah State receiver Alex Wheat posted on his Twitter account when word started to spread.
"I hate rumors.." tight end DJ Tialavea tweeted.
A few hours later, that changed.
"Coach A just called me. Explained the situation. No hard feelings. I have nothing but respect for the man. We must fight on. (hash)AggieNation," Wheat posted.
"Just got that phone call always have and always will love ya coach!" Tialavea tweeted.
The Wisconsin State Journal, which first reported that the Andersen would be the next Badgers' coach, reported Wednesday that Andersen spent Tuesday night calling his Utah State players.
The should buy plenty of good will for Andersen as he heads from his old job to his new one.

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Cowboys trusting Bryant to make call on finger

IRVING, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys couldn't trust receiver Dez Bryant to even run the right routes less than two months ago.
Now they're letting him dictate whether he plays with a broken left index finger. They are also drawing inspiration from Bryant's insistence on waiting until after the season for a surgery serious enough for owner Jerry Jones to startle his emerging star by mistakenly saying it would involve taking bone from his hip.
"Finding a way to play shows a lot of toughness because that's not easy to do," said tight end Jason Witten, who would know because he once ran 30 yards downfield without a helmet before getting tackled and played in the opener this season with a lacerated spleen. "He earned my respect."
Bryant broke the finger on a catch against Cincinnati two weeks ago. He scored a critical touchdown in the 20-19 win after the injury and made it clear early last week that he would play against Pittsburgh.
Playing with a padded glove that exposed the tip of the broken finger, Bryant looked like a decoy in the first quarter because Tony Romo kept throwing to Miles Austin, but he still scored a touchdown for the sixth straight game — catching a ball away from his body, fingers first — and finished with four catches for 59 yards.
The Cowboys (8-6) beat the Steelers 27-24 in overtime last weekend and emerged with control of their playoff hopes. Dallas moves on with wins over New Orleans (6-8) at home on Sunday and at Washington in the finale.
"I just wanted to be out there and I felt like I needed to," Bryant said. "Miles came up to me and said, 'We're all really inspired by you playing.' I can tell from the guys that it meant a lot."
Seven weeks earlier — in that same locker room — Bryant had to acknowledge that his route-running wasn't precise enough, and that it cost Romo one of four interceptions in a 29-24 loss to the New York Giants. He also botched a punt return so badly that coach Jason Garrett took those duties away from him.
Bryant did have 110 yards receiving that day — a season high at the time — and made a spectacular catch that appeared to win the game in the final seconds. But a replay showed that his fingers came down first out of bounds, so he still had just two touchdowns through seven games.
The third-year pro was on his way to another mediocre season, and still didn't know whether Dallas County prosecutors would pursue family violence charges against him over an altercation with his mother during the summer. That incident came after his first two years were marred by lawsuits over unpaid bills for tickets and jewelry and a scene at the mall for wearing sagging pants.
Just as his career-best touchdown streak started, though, Bryant got word that a deal had been reached that could lead to dismissal of the family violence charges. He celebrated by having the same career high in receiving yardage twice — 145 against Cleveland and Washington. With eight touchdowns in six games, Bryant is now tied for the among NFL receivers with 10 scores.
"I'm proud of him," Witten said. "You talk about him dealing with all the stuff he's dealt with the three years he's been here. He's almost like a little brother. You keep offering him support and encouragement. He's a good kid. It kind of seemed like he's put it all behind him."
Jones, ever the optimist, has been guarded as Bryant kept stringing together good games. He gushed about the receiver after beating the Steelers, but scared Bryant a little by offering the possibility of a bone graft involving Bryant's hip ("You're not touching my hip," Bryant told reporters Sunday after hearing the Jones diagnosis). Turns out Jones just misunderstood the doctors. The bone will come from the hand. But Jones' point was clear: the injury is serious.
"He certainly is playing with some risks, but he was inspirational out there to everybody involved in the organization," Jones said. "He meant it because we were still playing for all the marbles, and he wanted to give everything he could."
While Dallas coach Jason Garrett said medical opinions did factor in the decision, Bryant said his reasoning was simple: The Cowboys were still in the playoff hunt. Had Dallas been eliminated, he said he might have gone ahead with surgery. There's some personal incentive, too. Two more 100-yard games would give him six for the season and probably push him past 1,300 yards. With that kind of production, he could end up leading the league in touchdowns. He might go to his first Pro Bowl.
"I know that you go by catches and yards and touchdowns, but I go by how many times he does the right thing, makes the right choice, runs the right route, the depth that he's at, the timing that he came out, his ability to read the coverage," Romo said. "You know there's a lot of stuff involved and he didn't do as well in the beginning of the year, but he's really come on as of lately."
Bryant's come so far, the Cowboys are trusting him to call the shots.

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Wednesday's Sports in Brief

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Kobe Bryant scored 29 points, making him the fifth player in NBA history to score 30,000, and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a two-game skid with a 103-87 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night. Bryant entered the game needing 13 points to eclipse the scoring milestone and did so with a short jumper late in the first half that was perhaps the least spectacular of his baskets, which included the usual array of soaring dunks, demoralizing transition 3-pointers and turnaround, off-balance jumpers. The only other players to score more than 30,000 are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. ''It's pretty awesome,'' Bryant said. ''These are players I respect tremendously and obviously grew up idolizing and watching and learned a great deal from.'' The 34-year-old Bryant is younger than the other four were when they hit the mark, but Bryant also turned pro at 18, and is in his 17th season. NEW ORLEANS (AP) - NBA Commissioner David Stern said Wednesday his $250,000 fine of the San Antonio Spurs was justified because the club went beyond what league owners agreed was a reasonable approach to resting healthy players. Stern said coaches should have the authority to rest players at the end of the season, but that teams should not rest four starters little more than a month into it, and the team made matters worse by not notifying the league beforehand. PRO HOCKEY NEW YORK (AP) - NHL labor talks that began Wednesday afternoon stretched to early Thursday morning and representatives for the league and the players both said the long talks were ''candid'' and offered some sense of hope by announcing negotiations would resume later Thursday. ''We had good, candid dialogue,'' NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said early Thursday after nearly nine hours of talks at a Manhattan hotel. ''There continue to be some critical open issues between the two parties, and we understand the union should be getting back to us (Thursday) on some of those issues.'' Very little information leaked out of the meeting room, but it is believed that each side submitted proposals to the other and spent lots of time apart discussing what was offered. One point of contention is the length of the new contract, with owners looking for a 10-year pact, and players wanting a shorter term. The players' association is expected to have internal discussions Thursday morning before meeting with the NHL later in the day. BASEBALL NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Los Angeles Angels added starter Joe Blanton and reliever Sean Burnett to their retooled pitching staff. Jeff Keppinger found a new home, as did Eric Chavez. The big deals, however, remained on deck at baseball's winter meetings. Jason Bay, Randy Choate, Nate Schierholtz and a diamond full of players wound up in different places Wednesday, while top contenders waited for a pair of free-agent prizes to make their decisions. The lone trade was minor, with Detroit sending left-hander Andy Oliver to Pittsburgh for a young catcher. Former MVP Josh Hamilton and former Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke remained in play. They're the driving forces in this market and depending on where they go more moves are likely to follow. Texas would like to re-sign Hamilton, at the right price. New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey also keeps drawing attention. He lives near the Opryland Hotel and dropped in for a visit, though there's no change in his situation. Signed for next season, he wants a new contract, while several clubs, including Boston, want to trade for the reigning NL Cy Young winner. PRO FOOTBALL KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The mother of Jovan Belcher says her love for her son and his girlfriend has not diminished since the Kansas City Chiefs linebacker killed the 22-year-old Kasandra Perkins and then shot himself in the head at the Chiefs' complex. Cheryl Shepherd had been living her son and Perkins to help care for their 3-month-old daughter, Zoey, and was at the couple's home Saturday morning when Perkins was shot. ''That's my son, and I love him,'' Shepherd said in a brief telephone conversation Wednesday. ''She's my daughter-in-law, just like my daughter.'' Also on Wednesday, the Chiefs attended a memorial service for Belcher. Retired Chiefs Hall of Famer Bobby Bell said general manager Scott Pioli and an uncle of Belcher's spoke during the service. Shepherd, 54, was not happy about the release of recordings of the emergency phone call she made Saturday after Perkins was shot. ''I just got a phone call that they did that, and I don't appreciate it,'' she said. ''Right now I don't want to talk about it.'' In the emergency call, Shepherd begs Perkins to ''stay with me'' while frantically asking for an ambulance. She tells the dispatcher that Perkins is ''still breathing but please hurry. ... They were arguing, please hurry.'' Shepherd also told dispatchers that Perkins was bleeding, ''just barely'' awake and that it looked as though she was wounded in the back. She said Perkins moved when she spoke to her. Under the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, the estate or guardian of the couple's daughter will receive more than $1 million. FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - Rex Ryan is sticking with Mark Sanchez as the New York Jets' starting quarterback. The coach announced that Sanchez, benched Sunday against Arizona, will get the start this week over Greg McElroy and Tim Tebow when the Jets play the Jaguars at Jacksonville. ''I have to get this decision right,'' Ryan said, ''and I believe I have.'' PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned to practice and appeared on track to return this weekend against San Diego. Roethlisberger hasn't played since spraining his right shoulder and dislocating a rib in a 16-13 overtime victory over Kansas City on Nov. 12. He was limited in practice but coach Mike Tomlin was encouraged by Roethlisberger's performance. EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) - The Minnesota Vikings placed ailing wide receiver Percy Harvin on injured reserve, abruptly ending a season that began so well for one of the NFL's most versatile players. Coach Leslie Frazier answered questions about Harvin's status cryptically and vaguely at his regular news conference, when he ruled Harvin out of practice again because of the severely sprained ankle that has kept him out of the last three games. Then about six hours later, the Vikings announced the move that declared their top pass-catcher done for the year. COLLEGE FOOTBALL HOUSTON (AP) - Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o won the Lombardi Award as college football's best lineman or linebacker. Te'o, also a Heisman Trophy finalist, had 103 tackles and seven interceptions this year to help the undefeated Fighting Irish reach the BCS championship game against Alabama. BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - California hired Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Dykes in hopes that the offensive mastermind can revive a program that struggled in recent years under the fired Jeff Tedford. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - Purdue hired Darrell Hazell as its new football coach. Hazell won this season's Mid-American Conference coach of the year award after leading Kent State to its first winning season since 2001, first bowl appearance in more than four decades and the brink of a BCS bowl game. FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) - Former Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema says he won't coach the Badgers in the Rose Bowl after taking the job at Arkansas. He believes former coach and Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez will be on the sideline when Wisconsin plays Stanford on Jan. 1. MIAMI (AP) - Florida International fired football coach Mario Cristobal after six seasons. Athletic director Pete Garcia made the announcement, calling FIU's season ''a total collapse'' and saying the program needs to go in a different direction. SOCCER LONDON (AP) - Lionel Messi was taken off the field on a cart because of bone bruise to his left knee in Barcelona's 0-0 tie with Benfica in a Champions League game, while defending champion Chelsea failed to advance to the final 16 in the tournament. With Barcelona already assured of advancing to the second round, Messi entered as a reserve in the 58th minute. Messi's left knee collided with the right hand of Benfica's Artur as the Argentine star ran onto Gerard Pique's long pass and tried to round the goalkeeper in the 85th minute. Messi took a left-footed shot from an angle, then fell to the field in pain. He rolled onto his back and held the knee, then was loaded onto a cart. ''It's a bruise, which doctors have been having a look at,'' Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova said. ''We now have to wait for the results of tests, but the feeling is that it isn't more serious than a knock.'' Barcelona later tweeted that tests confirmed Messi has a bruised bone on the outside of his left knee. OLYMPICS LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - Eight years after winning Olympic medals in Athens, four track and field athletes from eastern Europe were ordered to hand them back because of positive doping tests. Lance Armstrong, meanwhile, can hold onto his bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Games for a little while longer. The International Olympic Committee executive board disqualified four athletes whose Athens doping samples were retested earlier this year and came back positive for steroids, including shot put gold medalist Yuriy Bilonog of Ukraine. Also stripped were hammer throw silver medalist Ivan Tskikhan of Belarus and two bronze medalists - women's shot putter Svetlana Krivelyova of Russia and discus thrower Irina Yatchenko of Belarus. The case of a fifth bronze medalist, weightlifter Oleg Perepechenov of Russia, remains pending. The IOC said it will ask the International Association of Athletics Federations to get the four medals back and readjust the results and rankings from the Athens Games. Until then, no decision will be taken on reallocating the medals. Adam Nelson of the United States finished second in the shot put and would stand to move up to gold. GOLF DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - American defending champion Lexi Thompson opened with a 3-under 69 at the Dubai Ladies Masters, three shots off the leaders. Shanshan Feng and Florentyna Parker both shot 66s after the first round. AUTO RACING INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Tony Stewart passed up a chance to race for Roger Penske in the Indianapolis 500. The three-time NASCAR champion said at the International Motorsports Industry Show that he wouldn't attempt to race in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. ''As much as I would like to do it, we just don't have the time to do it proper,'' Stewart said. ''The IRL is so competitive now, you're not going to just show up like drivers used to do in the past and be competitive.''

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